Unlimited Sky
by spiritjumper
Summary: A few months after the Trinities begin their assault on the military, the Gundam meisters are given a mission to retrieve a comatose engineer. Revealed to be an old friend of Neil Dylandy and an experiment of the innovators, she and all of Celestial Being are thrown into a terrifying battle. Overcoming the past sets us on the path to a brighter future. R&R!
1. Ribbons' Experiment

**A/N: This story is based in Season one. It is slightly AU, though primarily follows the story such as a movie or OVA would.**

* * *

A few months after the incident with the Trinity siblings…

"Ribbons Sir, we've done as you asked with her," murmured the nurse.

"Good," acknowledged Ribbons, looking down at the unconscious subject laying in the capsule in front of him. "What are the results?"

"Sir," the nurse began. "Regrettably she did not show any signs of becoming an innovator, despite repeated GN particle treatments." Her hands shook slightly as she spoke to the innovator with fearful admiration and sincerity.

"Our experiment has failed then," Ribbons stated smoothly. He glanced at the label on the medical capsule which read, "Leah Anderson". He waved over his shoulder as he turned to leave, "Dispose of her."

"Yes sir," responded the nurse.

"And Miss Miller, I do expect results. I know these things can't be rushed but," Ribbons looked back at the frightened nurse, "use whatever means necessary to make our dream a reality. You understand, don't you Miss Miller?"

"Yes sir!" she answered, stiff with terror and obedience.

"Good." _It should not be too long now, _thought Ribbons._ I know what went wrong with that last one, thanks to the Gundams. Soon I will know exactly what an innovator is, and more importantly… how to create one…_

* * *

Meanwhile, aboard the Ptolemaios...

"Tieria, I want you to connect with Veda to see what new missions are in store for us," Miss Sumeragi ordered. Tieria nodded on his way out. The door slid shut behind him with a quiet swish.

"Oo," Christina stretched her arms in the air excitedly, "I can't wait to see what new operations we get to carry out!" cried Christina.

"I hope it's nothing too violent," breathed Fedlt as she gazed despondently at her monitor. She frowned, troubled at the thought of the meisters being in danger again.

"Don't worry so much Fedlt. I'm sure they can handle it, no matter what the mission is," Miss Sumeragi comforted her.

* * *

"What… What is this?..." Tieria gasped at Veda's new mission report.

_Operation to retrieve new recruit for Celestial Being's team of engineers:_

_Name: Leah Anderson_

_Location: Norfolk Military Hospital_

_Personal Data: A former member of the Union forces and revered child genius, she is credited with designing custom mobile suit engines along with various other discoveries in the fields of quantum mechanics and energy emissions. Home town of Cavan, Ireland. Moved to the United States at ten years of age. Family are deceased. She is currently being held at the Norfolk Military Hospital after an attack by the Gundam Thrown Units left her in a coma._

_Mission Plan:_

…

Tieria floated inside of Veda. He was taken aback. _A new member… but we haven't gotten anyone new since Setsuna… I wonder what Veda could be planning,_ he thought curiously.

Tieria delivered the information to Miss Sumeragi and it was not long before the meisters were heading out on their mission.

"So, a new recruit," Lockon began as he and Tieria headed to their Gundams. "I wonder what could be so important Veda felt we should go back down to Earth, and a Union military base no less, to retrieve this girl."

"Who knows? She is a skilled engineer. She could become important to our cause at some point."

"Yeah, I'm sure it couldn't hurt to have another one around to help Ian. That way, repairs can be done even faster, _and_ we can go on more missions."

"Which means Aeolia Shenberg's plan can be carried out even faster," Tieria spoke determinedly, his eyes drawn to his Gundam with almost as much passion as Setsuna's.

Lockon sighed comically at Tieria's obsession.

The four Gundams broke through the atmosphere with incredible speed. The plan called for a swift reentry of the Earth's atmosphere and then the meisters were to hide their machines among the rocky, forested area behind the hospital. They would not be detected due to the cloaking capabilities of the GN drives.

After landing, they proceeded with the mission. Lockon stayed in his Dynames with a sniper rifle inside the cockpit to watch his comrades' backs as they entered the facility. Tieria kept a close eye on his communicator for information regarding the location of their target, leading them to the room where she was being held. Setsuna shot the few doctors who crossed their path on the way.

Allelujah groaned. "Wait, what the hell? I thought-"

"Yes, we are rescuing her despite her still being in a coma," Tieria said quickly, plugging a cord from his communicator into the capsule.

It unlocked. "Here, I'll take her," stated Allelujah as he pulled the young woman into his arms.

"Guys," warned Setsuna from the doorway. Heavy footsteps approached and they fled down the hallway. The meisters exited the building at top speed with gunfire at their heels. A few shots echoed from Dynames' cockpit as Lockon took aim at their pursuers. Somewhere, an alarm sounded. Returning to their machines, the Gundams returned to the Ptolomaios.

The plan had gone off without a hitch.

Before they reported to Miss Sumeragi, Tieria, Setsuna, Allelujah, and Lockon stood outside Leah's room, listening to her deep breathing.

She didn't look a day over twenty. Allelujah glared at her indignantly, "I don't understand why we had to break a girl like her out of a hospital."

"Veda has plans for her and that's why she is necessary," Tieria answered. "Moreover, I'm positive Veda wouldn't call for a civilian to join our cause if that person didn't have reasons of her own, just as the rest of us do."

"Yeah? Fine, but I don't want to be a part of it," Allelujah spat before storming off as best someone can in zero gravity. _If someone innocent like her got hurt, I would never be able to forgive myself… _he thought.

Lockon, Tieria, and Setsuna waited for their comrade to leave before any of them would speak again.

"Well then, any plans on how to wake her up, Tieria?" asked Lockon.

"Unfortunately no." Tieria pushed off the wall and into the darkened room, halting next to the bed and peering down at Leah. "It's odd. The report said she was in a coma and yet... she seems to be able to support herself. But this long hibernation, I suppose we are just going to have to take care of her as she is for now, until I can find the answer inside of Veda."

"And _who_ exactly is going to be taking care of her?" Lockon asked accusingly.

Tieria began leaving, "I'll ask Miss Sumeragi what she can do."

Lockon sighed heavily as he watched Tieria disappear down the hallway. "I hope she isn't too mad when she wakes up and finds herself stuck on a space ship with us."

"With us! With us!" squealed Haro as he bumped into Lockon's shoulder.

"Yes Haro," Lockon joked as he and Haro departed, leaving Setsuna alone with the young woman.

Setsuna watched the rise and fall of her chest with curiosity and suspicion as she slept peacefully. _Is this really Veda's doing?_ He couldn't help but wonder…


	2. Awakening of an Innovator

**A/N: This story takes place during season one while the Trinity siblings are still screwing with the world and making the Gundams look bad. Movie/OVA style.**

* * *

"Hmm," Lockon sighed as he gazed down at Leah's familiar face sleeping soundly on the bed.

The door opened and a cold breeze drifted in from the hall, "What are you doing in here?" Tieria asked casually. Lockon was sitting cross-legged on the floor beside the bed.

"Nothing, just keeping her company."

Tieria considered Lockon's answer for a moment before he got to the point. "I noticed you two grew up in the same town in Ireland. Cavan wasn't it?"

Lockon looked Tieria in the eyes and he understood, "You're asking me if I know her personally?"

Tieria stared back at him.

"I did know her once. But I haven't seen her since we were kids. I doubt she even remembers me." Tieria nodded and looked down at Leah. Her crimson hair spread out over the pillow in the exact same position as when she was first placed there.

She hadn't moved a muscle.

Tieria turned to leave, but he stopped in the doorway, his hand on the frame. "When she does wake up, don't tell her who you are. If she remembers you _on her own,_ that's fine, but I think it would be best for everyone if she didn't."

Lockon sighed again and Tieria turned as the door opened and Fedlt nearly bumped into him, carrying a tray of food and a couple glasses of water. "Excuse me," Tieria said loudly as he moved around Fedlt quickly, almost bumping into her a second time.

Fedlt waited for him to leave, clearing her throat shyly when she spotted Lockon. She came to sit next to him without a word, noticing how Lockon was staring intently at the beautiful girl lying in front of them.

"So what brings you here Fedlt?" Lockon asked quietly.

"Oh, I just came here to bring her something to drink, and… I thought she might be lonely."

"Hm, that so," Lockon chuckled. "You and me both." Fedlt looked at Lockon curiously but didn't know what to say. "Well then, I guess I'll leave her in your capable hands Fedlt."

Fedlt smiled bashfully as she watched him get up to leave. However, she couldn't help thinking about what she overheard between Tieria and Lockon…

_Neil and Leah have known each other since childhood? They're from the same town?_ Fedlt's mind swam with possibilities. _And if all of that is true… then what will happen when Leah finally wakes up and she and Neil can be together again?_ _But why does it matter to me? It's not like I __**like**__ him or anything… Neil is so much older than me._ Fedlt sighed, deciding it was none of her business, but she still couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to change.

* * *

"Leah Anderson has led multiple studies into the fields of quantum mechanics and technology." Tieria explained. "Something tells me, if she were able to experience Veda, the mental stimulation could force her to wake up."

Miss Sumeragi thought it over. "It's worth a try," she agreed. Shortly thereafter, Tieria left and Lockon joined him going to Leah's room.

With careful hands, Lockon hoisted Leah into his arms. Tieria was suspicious why Lockon was so eager to help knowing he could take care of Leah by himself.

Tieria typed his key code into Veda's outer monitor and slipped through the passage into the spherical space. Lockon took care helping Leah's unconscious body through next. Tieria put his arm around her waist to still her as they floated inside of Veda and then used his powers to connect with it. His eyes shone as he began sorting through the ocean of data, returning with everything pertaining to Leah; her history, and her research. The information completely surrounded them.

"This is incredible," Tieria breathed. From head to toe and at his fingertips were studies on quantum physics and mechanics, dark matter and various fringe elements, among them GN particles, and also layers upon layers of blueprints for highly advanced technology the complexity of which rivaled the GN drives.

Behind some investigative documents near Tieria's right hand was an old photo of a burning building.

Leah stirred beside him. _Such a familiar heat…_ a very tired and panicked thought occurred to her, and for a moment, she was worried it could be the fire. Leah's eyes fluttered open, glowing a bright golden hue that seemed to flow like water as she looked at Tieria. She had the eyes of an innovator.

"Leah," Tieria tried. "Leah Anderson-"

"Huh," Leah responded tiredly. Her eyes widened as they met Tieria's and she saw the light in his.

"Everything okay in there?" Lockon's voice startled them.

"She's awake!" Tieria yelled back.

"A..wake?" Leah repeated. _But I was just…burning…how am I still alive?_ She thought in disbelief.

"How are you feeling?" Tieria asked Leah with slight concern.

"I feel…fine. Where are we?" she asked, fascinated by Veda's appearance. Tieria watched her gaze travel from document to document along the walls.

"Inside one of Veda's terminals; a quantum processing unit," he stated humbly and crossed his arms, "a super computer."

Leah reached towards the wall of documents and began rifling through them, using the touch screen to sort the information. Tieria watched her curiously as she searched until she came upon an image of a devastated Union military base, one of those attacked by the Trinities. Beside it, there was a photo of a man with blonde hair. The column detailed his experience fighting the Gundams and defending the base. Leah touched his photo with care and Tieria's eyes narrowed. _Does she know this soldier?_ He wondered. Before he could look closer, Lockon opened the hatch and light from the hallway illuminated the small space.


	3. A Ghost From the Past

**A/N: Please review or PM me if you find any spelling or grammar mistakes so that I can change them ASAP. Any additional tips or ideas about the story you share with me are also greatly appreciated. Thanks and enjoy!**

* * *

"Here," Lockon stuck his hand through to help Leah out. The lights behind him made it difficult to see his face clearly. Leah stretched upwards and grasped his hand. Lockon pulled her swiftly out of Veda's container. The force and speed with which Leah was pulled startled her, and for the first time, she realized there was no gravity.

A purple head poked out of Veda. Tieria held onto either side of the container to hold himself steady.

"I can hardly believe you're awake," Lockon exclaimed. Leah gave him a confused look.

"What he means is that you seemed to be in a state of hibernation until we brought you here," Tieria interpreted. He could almost see the gears beginning to turn in her mind. "My name's Tieria Erde," he said and held out his hand.

Leah took it, "Leah Anderson."

Next she turned to Lockon, "Lockon Stratus," he said pridefully and shook her hand. He had a firm grip.

They brought her to a solitary room where she was questioned thoroughly by Tieria who, after much scrutiny, deemed her trustworthy and allowed Miss Sumeragi to explain to her about Celestial Being's existence, Aeolia Schenberg, and their goal of eliminating war from the world.

After that, Leah was given a tour of the ship with special attention to the hanger where the Gundams were stationed and where she would likely be spending most of her time as an engineer. She was briefly introduced to Setsuna and Allelujah as well as members of the crew aboard the Ptolemaios, or Ptolemy for short. All the while, Leah's mind lingered on Miss Sumeragi's words. She would be working for Celestial Being, the terrorist organization responsible for killing many of her friends in the Union military and not to mention putting her in a coma. However, this could be an incredible opportunity to further her research. Though, she worried if her work would ever see the light of day if kept in such unwavering secrecy. Even so, fame was not Leah's priority. Rather, the work itself was what consumed her.

Even while she was learning to live in zero gravity, even while she was being introduced to people she knew to be terrorists, the thought which continued drumming at the back of her mind was that _she wanted to know what__** they**__ knew_. What secrets of science, history, and otherwise were they hiding? What truths were there to be unearthed here, in a place so isolated from mainstream society?

* * *

After a tiring day, chowing down on some dinner in the company of Miss Sumeragi, Fedlt, and Christina, Leah retired to her room for the night. As she curled up in bed, it was a revelatory experience. Long had she dreamt of performing her research in space and her time had finally come. It didn't matter whether it was in the service of Celestial Being or the Union military. What did matter was that she would uncover the truth behind all the mysteries she so sought to unravel.

* * *

The following morning, Leah got up early and went about her business, eating breakfast and beginning her work with Ian on the Gundams. He showed her the GN drives and explained their basic system makeup, even allowing her access to computer generated 3D models which greatly helped her to understand how the particles were generated and how they allowed the Gundams to function at such high capacity.

"Leah Anderson,"

"Huh?" Leah responded as she turned away from the computer monitor. Tieria walked towards her.

"What are you working on?" he asked.

"Oh, I was analyzing the makeup of the GN particles." Leah pulled up two files, the first of which displayed the presence of GN particles through air on a quantum scale. The second was a program measuring the energy required to produce the particles. "After that, I ran a few tests and compared the results to other scientific events in history," she pulled up an old black and white newspaper photo of a flattened forest. The trees appeared burnt, but only on one side, and they were flattened around a specific, unpopulated area. "I found there was a quantum disaster in Russia during the course of Aeolia Schenberg's lifetime. This event may have revealed to him the energy it takes to produce GN particles. This energy is extremely difficult to manipulate. Get the formula right and you can use it to produce an engine capable of immense power. But get it wrong and you could end up with a disaster similar to the one Schenberg witnessed."

Tieria gazed at the images with intrigue. "Fascinating," he uttered. Leah looked at him happily while he continued to ogle the screen but something occurred to her and she looked away from Tieria suddenly as a wave of meloncholy feelings hit her. "Has Ian explained to you how the Gundams' systems work yet?"

"He explained some, however, there was a lot he couldn't tell me," Leah answered and looked quizzically over at Tieria who returned her gaze.

"Hm. Did he tell you how the Gundams connect to Veda?" Leah shook her head. Tieria began typing on the computer. He accessed the operation system through the Haros' and pulled up a model of Exia's cockpit. "Each of the four Gundams is electronically linked to Veda for tactical assistance and combat support and occasionally for remote access," Leah listened carefully as Tieria explained. "This is important for you to know because we may not have this luxury much longer."

"What?" Leah's mouth opened in surprise.

Tieria wasn't sure if he should continue. If he did, he would have to tell her about the Gundam Thrones. He knew of her past with them, after all, it was the Thrones which nearly took her life when they attacked the base where she worked. He wondered, if he told her about the Gundam Thrones if she would react unfavorably. It was true Celestial Being and the pilots of the Thrones, the Trinities, were not allies. However, what would she do given the information she now had? Would she run with it and attempt to use the Union military to destroy the Thrones, or would she stay with Celestial Being?

Tieria looked her in the eyes and Leah's mouth closed as she waited for his answer.

He decided to test her, "We of Celestial Being may not be the only ones with access to Veda," he admitted. Leah sat quietly and waited patiently for him to continue. "I'm not certain, but there may be others using Veda for their own purposes, though they claim to be after the same goal as us, albeit in a much more exorbitant manner." Leah looked as if she was beginning to catch on. Tieria decided it was time, "The Gundams which attacked the military base you were stationed at four months ago are known as the Gundam Throne Units. _They_ may be the ones accessing Veda."

Leah's eyes widened and she could feel anger rising within her, "So why would you abandon Veda if it is so helpful to your cause?"

Tieria was stern, his voice very serious, "We do not yet know if we can trust the Thrones or their pilots and if I find that we cannot, we will have no choice but to abandon Veda."

Leah closed her eyes as if she was coming to a realization. Tieria also felt as if he was beginning to understand the gravity of what that would mean for himself and the other meisters.

They were silent for a few tense moments as Tieria allowed Leah to consider his words. She opened her eyes and appeared to be staring at his shoes. She folded her hands and leaned on them, crossing her legs, her gaze drifted to the computer screen. "Then I suppose, if that happens, the pilots will just have to compensate for their losses," she said matter-of-factly. "Of course, a backup system will also be necessary-"

"One has already been created," Tieria interjected and Leah met his eyes once again.

"That's good then," she said and leaned back in her chair. It didn't appear that she would say anything more and so Tieria decided it was time he left her alone.

"You may continue your work," he told her. Leah watched, feeling nostalgic as the door slide shut behind him. She sat back in her chair, frowning. She closed her eyes and sighed then looked out the window at Exia standing tall in the hanger. For a moment, she pictured a Flag (Union mobile suit) in the same position and smiled half-heartedly. This really was proving to be a difficult job.

**A/N: Don't forget to review or PM me if you find mistakes or have an idea. Thanks! I know there has been a lot of angst so far. I will try to alleviate some of that next chapter.  
**


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